Chapter 1: When The Lights Go On Again
The alarm clock was sharply shut down the second it dinged, in a manner it'd make anyone doubt about its actual efficiency in waking up an individual. At any rate, Peggy Carter opened her eyes and looked at her bedside, gladly confirming her clock was still in one piece - she was getting smoother at it. After spending months in the war, resting with one eye open, always wary about upcoming surprises and ready to knock them down as quickly as possible, a simple clock would enact a ruthless reaction from her, something that would cost Peggy a few pennies everytime. One year later, she was finally contemplating some progress.
Peggy pulled up from the bed and headed to her closet, picking a plain black dress with red lapel collars and sleeve edges. Another thing she was happy about the end of the war: she could vary on the wardrobe. Not that she thought her old uniform was unfitting, but a person grows tired of the same colours everyday. She looked at the clock again – damn, she was late. There wouldn't be time for breakfast, so she promptly dressed up, applied her makeup and got ready to leave.
As she walked across the halls, she reflected once again about how enormous the mansion was just for herself – Howard Stark, her dear friend, had lent one of his mansions to Peggy and she couldn't be more grateful, for it wasn't exactly easy for a single and female federal agent like her to find a place to live in New York City. But the house was big, full of empty rooms and sometimes melancholy would hit Peggy, due to the lack of action and human contact. Driving off the thought, she exited the house.
On her way to the office, her stomach growled and she was reminded she haven't had any meal since she woke up, so she made a small detour and got herself a chocolate muffin that she would eat at the office, along with a generous cup of coffee.
When she entered the telephone company building, Rose, the SSR assistant that was in charge of the access to the secret elevator, looked at the small paper bag at Peggy's hand and asked "Rushed morning, Peggy?" to what Peggy joked "Almost forgot I need food to survive!" The doors opened and she was finally in.
Now at her desk, finishing the tasty muffin, Peggy was revising the last reports, internally cursing everyone at the office for providing her with the most dull tasks, while others were able to analyse cases, work on them…be real agents. She had the skills, oh yes she had, and yet she was mostly used as a secretary. For that she missed the war, where Agent Carter was within the most resourceful military at the allies' predisposition. But that was also a bittersweet memory, images of Captain Steve Rogers suddenly invading her mind and making Peggy trail off her thoughts for the sake of her own sanity, again.
Daniel Sousa, her fellow colleague and very likely the friendliest man she had in the office, turned from the front desk and approached Peggy.
"So, have you heard about Krezminski's last dilemma?" he asked on a playful tone.
"Haven't had the pleasure yet," she mocked along, glancing at Agent Krezminski's spot.
"Do you see that gift on his desk?"
Peggy noticed a small package wrapped in bright red paper.
"It came this morning. It's a brand-new leather wallet. But here comes the tricky part: it had a small note next to it simply saying 'to my dearest man'" Daniel expectantly got silent, waiting for the idea to sink in on Peggy.
"…and now he doesn't know who sent it, if his wife or his girlfriend," Peggy finished for Daniel.
"Exactly," he said with a frolic smile.
Peggy snorted but rapidly returned, "That's what you accomplish when you're a lousy cheater." All of her was wishing he got caught in the trap, the absence of loyalty being a trait that easily infuriated the woman.
Before any of them could say anything else, a clamant alarm sounded in the room and red lights glowed in the ceiling along with it. Out of a sudden, chief Roger Dooley broke into the room, marching between desks, with a solemn look on his face. "Everyone follow me. Now!" he shouted, heading towards the conference room.
It was usual for Peggy to be dismissed from urgent calls, even though she always managed to double-cross the chief's directions and get into the room. Not hearing anything that would prevent her from following her colleagues right away, she did it so. Hmm, this is new, Peggy thought. When she entered the room, most places were already taken so she accommodated herself at the back. She could also notice some confused looks from her co-workers due to her presence, but Peggy ignored it, ready to hear whatever Dooley had to say.
"All right, fellas, there's a new storm coming," the chief initiated, trying to raise expectations even more. "As you all know, some of Howard Stark's inventions were stolen from his vault last week. Since then, we, the Government and Stark himself have been working along so these items can be retrieved. We're talking about potentially dangerous goods that need special care to ensure everyone's safety. A few minutes ago I received a call. It seems a great part of the inventions were detected in the black market."
A small buzz started to rise at the room but before it could grow into something else, Dooley firmly continued.
"I have the initial information all gathered and individual files will be give to all of you. Now, everyone sitting stays. The rest: out. Go do your job! - Except for you, Carter, you stay too."
Now the shock was general, even for Peggy, that wouldn't have imagined this in her wildest dreams.
"Haven't you heard me? Out." The chief insisted and most agents left the room, leaving just a small ensemble.
Peggy got near the central table, joining the group of sitting men, receiving some embarrassed glances. When all eyes were again on Dooley, he carried on.
"What I said before is not all the information we've got, but it's not wise to share with everyone, hence why I selected you. One of our infiltrated agents acquired valuable data. Everything indicates one of the items will be used as a weapon in New York City." By now the room was in complete awe, the information catching them all by surprise. "We don't know what, who, when…but we know where".
"And where is where, exactly?" inquired Krezminski.
"The utility and timing of your questions are on spot, Krezminski," an annoyed chief replied. "The attack is headed to the theatre district, more specifically to the Lyceum Theatre."
The name was nothing new to Peggy and she had been there a few weeks before to see Born Yesterday. She never went much to the theatre but that time Howard had insisted more than usual and she agreed to go with him, which she regretted afterwards, after realizing Howard's true intention was to gallant Judy Holliday into going on a date with him.
"I think it'd be of good value to get an undercover agent in the theatre," Sousa suggested.
"You think right, Agent Sousa. As a matter of fact, we already managed a way to infiltrate them…or better speaking, her," Dooley concluded after a pause, looking up at Peggy. An astonished Peggy that suddenly had all eyes on her again. Judging eyes. And it didn't take long until someone wondered out loud.
"Why her, chief?" An incredulous Wallace asked.
Peggy rolled her eyes.
"There are only women working at the theatre, besides the guards. We need someone able to intermingle with everyone that attends the space, working there or not, and guards don't do that," Dooley explained.
Of course there had to be some unique reason for her to be appointed and not because she was, in fact, one of their best qualified agents. It was getting too good to be true, but Peggy couldn't exactly complain, since she was still getting the mission, something that seemed an impossible condition minutes ago.
"But Chief, she'll ruin the whole operation, she's-"
"She's what, Agent Thompson? A woman?" Peggy interrupted. "May I remind you how women served at the war just like yourself? Maybe even better?" She was now officially angry.
"Enough the both of you! I don't have time for this." Dooley cut them off. "Agent Thompson, unless you want to shave, get a wig and start working on your feminine moves, Agent Carter is our only and best chance in this mission". Silence. "Has the thought of hot wax made you dumb, Thompson?" he said after not hearing an answer from the agent. Silence again. "Very well, I think we're done here. Carter, I need you in my office in ten minutes to discuss details." And in seconds, Dooley had left the room, leaving everyone to their own thoughts.
Without waiting for more shameful outcomes from her colleagues, Peggy left the room, being interrupted by a smiling Sousa by the door.
"Congratulations, Peggy".
"Thank you, Daniel". She smiled back.
Peggy craved a different kind of recognition at her workplace but this new development had brought her a chance to prove her worth and she wouldn't vacillate: she would work for this mission as a life and death matter…like always.
Notes: This is my first multi-chapter fanfiction. It's designed to have seven chapters. I'll also be assigning songs to every one of them. For this one it'll be "When The Lights Go On Again", by Vera Lynn (watch?v=vzlFaY0s_QI). Hope you enjoy :) And don't worry, Angie will have her appearance on the next chapter.